Human remains found at the Grand Canyon earlier this week have been confirmed as those of Timothy Smith, the last hiker missing after flash floods swept across the national park in late August and killed two other people, officials and his wife said.
With Timothy Smith, 53, now identified, all three people who died afterfloodwaters tore through parts of the Grand Canyon on Aug. 29 have been accounted for. The flooding, which washed out footbridges and damaged part of the park's water system, prompted the rescue and evacuation of more than 80 people.
"My family has done a lot of waiting over the last three weeks — waiting and hoping Tim (Daddy) would come home, waiting and wondering if the remains found were Tim (Daddy)," Carrie Smith wrote in a statement.
"We no longer have to wait."
Timothy Smith had arrived at the Grand Canyon on Aug. 27 with his friends John Giusti, 46, and Brent Rosenkranz, 42, "for a trip they had been eagerly anticipating," according to a statement from Hannah Barricks, a spokesperson for the families. Then the floods ripped and created havoc within the canyon.
Giusti and Rosenkranz were confirmed dead by their families and the National Park Service on Sept. 1.
Timothy Smith was discovered near Crystal Rapid on the Colorado River on Sept. 14, park officials said. His body was found Sept. 14 and identified Sept. 15, according to Carrie Smith. The Department of the Interior said the Coconino County Medical Examiner confirmed her husband's identity.
'Doing something he loved'
All three men were from Granbury, Texas, a city southwest of Fort Worth. Rosenkranz and Giusti still lived there, while Timothy Smith, his wife and their three children had moved to Star Valley Ranch, Wyoming, a town of a little over 2,000 people, according to Barricks.
Timothy Smith loved helping people, according to Carrie Smith, his wife of 18 years. He was a pilot for NetJets, a luxury private jet company, and a member of Emmanuel Bible Church in Thayne, Wyoming, a neighboring small town, Barricks said.
Carrie Smith described her husband as an explorer who loved the outdoors. Hiking and camping with his family were among some of his favorite pastimes, according to Barricks.
Carrie Smith posted on Facebook that her husband was found "not in the way we had hoped, but we know that he was doing something he loved with John and Brent."
She asked for continued prayers.
"Please do not stop praying for my family, we have lived through an enormous tragedy and will need your prayers for months/years to come," Carrie Smith wrote. "We know God is an AWESOME GOD and He will walk us through this season of life.”
Friends documented their adventure before disaster hit
The trio planned to hike to the Bright Angel Campground, spend two nights exploring and fishing near the bottom of the canyon and then continue to Havasupai Gardens before finishing their hike, Barricks said.
Rosenkranz and Giusti both posted photos of themselves on Facebook when they arrived on Aug. 27. A martial arts instructor in Granbury, Rosenkranz posed for a photo in front of a canyon as dark clouds loomed overhead.
"Just arrived at the Grand Canyon. Will be hiking over 31 miles next four days with vertical change of over a mile. Carrying a 40 lb backpack. This should be an adventure!" Rosenkranz said in his post.
Giusti had a big smile as he posed for a photo in front of the foggy, cloudy canyon, according to his Facebook post.
They spoke with their families that evening and "were excited and looking forward to beginning their trip the following morning," Barricks said.
The families knew the men reached Bright Angel Campground on Aug. 28 and went exploring on Aug. 29, Barricks said.
Following the incident, loved ones of the victims created online fundraisers to support Giusti, Rosenkranz and Smith's families.
Contributing: Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Human remains found in Grand Canyon identified as missing hiker
